What is cardiogenic shock?

What is cardiogenic shock?

എന്താണ് കാർഡിയോജനിക് ഷോക്ക്?

When the heart is not able to pump enough blood for the needs of the body and the blood pressure falls, it is known as cardiogenic shock. Most important cause of cardiogenic shock is a heart attack. It is more likely to occur in those who are older, having blocks in multiple blood vessels of the heart, and in those with a previous heart attack. Cardiogenic shock is a potentially life threatening condition and needs urgent treatment. Even with treatment about half of those with cardiogenic shock might die.

Those with cardiogenic shock may have severe shortness of breath, weak pulse, rapid heart beats, low blood pressure, undue sweating, cold hands and feet. Sometimes they may become unconscious due to poor blood supply to the brain. They may have clouding of mental state prior to becoming unconscious. Urine output may fall very much in cardiogenic shock as the kidneys do not get enough blood pumped into them to filter out the waste materials from the body.

Medications are given as a drip to enhance the blood pressure as an emergency measure. Devices like an intra aortic balloon pump and left ventricular assist device may be useful to some extent. Intra aortic balloon pump uses intermittent inflation of a balloon attached to a tube placed in the aorta. Aorta is the largest blood vessel carrying oxygenated blood to the whole body. Left ventricular assist devices support the pumping function of the heart with an external pump connected through the blood vessels.

If cardiogenic shock is due to a heart attack, immediate angiography and removal of the block by angioplasty are useful. Angiography is visualization of the blood vessels of the heart by injecting radiocontrast medication through small tubes known as catheters introduced through blood vessels of wrist or groin. Angioplasty is removal of blocks in blood vessels by inflation of small balloons attached to small tubes known as balloon catheters. These are introduced through blood vessels of wrist or groin and guided to the heart under continuous X-ray imaging.